EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: OUTCAST, “ELEMENTS”

France’s Outcast are, in fact, a curious beast. It’d be easy to pin them down as the latest in a neverending string of Meshuggah worshippers, and while these guys surely do love Meshuggah (as they should!) there’s a whole lot more happening on their new album Awaken the Reason than immediately meets the eye. There’s Lamb of Godian gallop, SiKthian tech-skronk, Gojiran elephants marching, Gorodian artfulness, Byzantinian melody, Morbid Angelian brutality, and most importantly Outcastian Outcastness. The more I listen to Awaken the Reason the more into it I get — there’s a LOT going on here, and it’s an incredibly engaging and captivating listen.